A dream come true
For the children, it was their first time in an aircraft. Their enthusiasm and excitement awakened the child in the grown-ups too.
The event was the fifth anniversary of Pratheeksha Palliative Care clinic at Trivandrum, held on 10th December 2016. Pratheeksha palliative care clinic is run by the departments of Paediatrics and Paediatric Neurology of SAT hospital, in association with Pallium India. Every year, the day is celebrated with a get-together of the children under their care and their families.
This year, everyone was first taken to the Air India Aircraft Hangar. The children and families seated themselves in the aircraft and they even got a chance to enter the cockpit and sit alongside the pilot!
Arif was running around the aircraft, looking for his perfect seat, while Althaf was happy with the snack box distributed by the Air India staff. For Sreekuttan and Rahul, “being inside the aircraft was a dream come true.” Chinnu and Arya listened eagerly to the pilot as he explained to them the working of the aircraft.
After this thrilling start, everyone assembled at DTPC park, Shanghumugham. There were games for the children, followed by cultural programs, songs by Sarangi (a cultural group based out of SAT hospital), and a performance by Nireeksha Children’s theatre. The day is by no means complete without a visit to the beach, so that’s where everyone headed, where the children had a blast.
For the children and the families, it was a respite from the ordeal surrounding illness. And for those of us at Pallium India? What a fulfilling moment – seeing the little ones laugh, play, and be naughty the way only they can. We were motivated by the smiles we saw and the words we heard. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journey!
For more photos of the event, please visit our Facebook page.